Railway-torpedo



E. A. SCHOOLEY. I RAILWAY TORPEDO. APPLICATION FILED AUGL3I, 1916.

1,359,924. Patented Nov. 23, 1920.

i T all whom/it may concern is a specification.

UNITED STATES} A CORPORATION OF'DELAWARE,

MWQ

EDWARD A. 'SCHOOLEY, on rrrtrsnunsn, flrnnnsx-nvnnm, assronondtro T EASTERN RAIL Y SIGNAL, comp- 112 0FJPITTSBURGH;'PENITSYLVANIA, '1

, mammog am i f.

Be it known that I, EDWARD A. SoHooLnY, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Pittsburgh, in the county ofAllegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bailway-Torpedoes, of which the following My invention relates to the construction of explosive railway torpedoes used as audible signals on railways, arranged to be se cured in place on the'head of the railway track rails and adapted to be exploded by contact with the wheels of locomotives ,or,

other rolling stock passing over the railway" tracks. I

j One object of my invention is to providea torpedo of the class described having novel means whereby the explosive material is packaged and the component parts otthe torpedo are assembled and secured'in as} sembled position in forming'the torpedo."

Another object of the invention is to provide a torpedo of improved construction and having novel means p, whereby ingress "of V moisture 'to the explosive material isavoided and prevented. 'f

A further object of my invention is "to provide a railroad torpedo in'which the use of metal in forming the package is avoided and rendered unnecessary, a fibrous pack: age is obtained, and the liabilityofjexploi-j' sions and resulting damage in assembling the package is lessened and overcome.

' A still further object of the invention. is the provision of a railroad torpedo havingthe novel constructions, combinations, and arrangements ofparts shown in the drawings, to be fullyidescribed hereinafter" and"v specifically claims. a K v Referring now to the drawings formingpart of this specification, Figure 1 is aplan pointed out-in the appended in aeccrdam ewah my invention. 7 g r Y Fig. 2 is a sectional "side elevation of the same, the section being 'taken'on 'the lin'e" 11 11 ofFig. 1 f

Fig. 3 is'a-plan, similar to that of-Flg. 1; f; showing a modifiedform of 't( )i 'pedo *con' structed in accordance with-this' 1nvent1on.-- Fig. A is a sectional side elevation 0'f;the modification shown in- Fig. 3', the section,

191s." ser a'r No. 117,819;

Fig. 5 is; a sectionalside elevation of the mod fied form of torpedo shown in "Figs. '3

and 4, the section being taken on the line illustrated in Figs. 3, 4L, 'and15.

Fig. 7

- pe i erl t n Pateiited Nov, 1920. Application filed August 31, i l i I I I to'Figs. 2 a'ndet showing a further modifi cation in the construction of torpedoes made in" accordance with my invention. ff In the accompanying drawings the nu-' v meral 2 designates the ex plosivematerialof the torpedo, which maybe composed ofany oiithe variousknown compositions, the.iex H i v plosive hence; in the form of a disk or button, or 1n a finely divided state, as proves most desirable-or necessary- I The explosive is positioned in a cup-shaped container 3 havf ing a cylindrlcal sidewall-integrally joined to 'a bottom 4, whicli'is fiat as shownin Figs; f7 5 2' and'a o'rfhe'mispherical as shown injFi'g. 7, the .COIltEtlIlGI being premolded and com posed of paper, strawbbaid, or similar fibrous,' non-metallic materiaL, Inthe' construction of Figs. 2 and i4 'agsecondfcup shaped member 5 having a cylindrical side ,wall' formedtintegrally with-a top or end 6 is employed to form acap'for. the container 3, the side walls of the container and its cap being in'close engagement, so as to tightly and 'entirely inclosej the explosive, andfwhen the BX}) lOSlVe',iS iIl a finelydivided state, to prevent escape of particles of the explosive and, ingress of moisturel Thesurfaces of I g the container and its cap maybe coated with parafin or similar "materi'al'when found necessary :or considered advisable The package p ising the container 3,; Y

cap 5, and-explosiveQ is. secured within-a" holder Twhic'h also isiformed of paper, or other fibrous material, and a flat strap 8 formed of'lead or votherductile metal is: s-

curedto the holder, this metal s rap being employed to permit-"ofthe'torpedo 'being" ea slly and quickly, attached to the head of a rail in a railway-track in position for use,

and when found necessary, to enable lthe track. .1 The holderl7may have a bottom 9joined torpedo being readily-removed in conditionto again be applied tothe rail ofa railway I Y integrally "to its cylindrical side wa1l,--asshown in Figi 2, or the-bottom'9 may be.

omitted and the torpedo formed as is'fshown" in Figs. 4; and 5. In the construction of Figs. 1 and 2 one end of the holder 7 is crimped or beaded so as to turn" theend of the holder inwardly'fromtheposition shown. in'dotted lines in Fig. 2 into that shown in fulllines, the inturned end of the holder,

being brought into engagement with the periphery of the fiat fiber disk 10 which rests' on the top 6 of the cap so as to se-' curely hold the parts in assembled position.

In the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the flatcylindrical disk forming part of the holder is placed in posit on before the end ofthe holder 7 is crimped or turned in wardly so that after the crimping operation 'thedisklO will be fastened in place and will maintain the ductile nietal'strap. 8 in position. i

The metal strap 8 projects through the radialslots or grooves 11 in the periphery of the disk 10 in the construction shownin Figs. land 2 as will be readily seen in these figures. I r j In some cases the radial slots 11, 11 in the periphery ofthe disk lO may be omitted and the metalstrap 8 which is used to fasten the torpedo in place on the railway track will project through slots 12 in the side wallof the holder 7 in, the manor shown in Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6.. Otherwise the parts will be assembled as has been described, the edge of the holder, being turned inwardly or tainer 3.

crimpedsafter the parts have been positioned" 'within' the holder. "lVhen the metal strap 8 is caused to "extend throughslots l'l'in the side wall of the holder 7 the fiber oisk 10 may be dispensed with, althou h preferably it will be employed n the construction of Figs.,3 andl. I

In. the construction illustrated in Fig. T the explosive 2 preferably pie-molded disk or button; is placed within the con After the explosive is placedwithin the 7 container, a cap 5 formed of a flat disk or. fiber or fibrous materialis placed within-the containerand the-flat metal strap 8 is'then,

positioned in the container. 7 A second fiat fiber disk 10 is placed in, the container on topof the flat metal strap the metal strap projecting through the radial slots or groovesll in the periphery of the disk 10 as in the-construction of Figs. 1' and ,2. The end of the fiange 14: .on the holder 3 of- Fig. .7 is thencrimped or turned. inwardly j from-the position shown dotted intothat sho'wnin full lines to-fasten theparts securelv in assembled positon. in the same This container is formed of.

manner as has been described in connection with the other figures. Obviously the metal stra ma 7 be caused to extend throu h 0 enings in the flange of the containerlfi in the same manner as shown in Fig. 4 when found necessary or desirable.

When a tubular holder '7 is employed iir stead of a holder having an integrally formed'bottom 9 both edges ofthe holder will be crimped inwardly in the manner shown in Figs. 4. and 5. It will be readily understood that the tubular-holder may be employed .with the construction of Figs. 1

and 2' as well as that of Figs. 8, 4i. 5, and 6.

Some railways prefer to employ tread strap l3 on the torpedoes (see Figs. 1 and 2),

the treadestrap which is formed of softmetal,v such as zinc or lead, being adapted to engage with the wheels of the 'olling stock and prevent thextorpedo; sliding forwardly on the track rail when engaged bythe advancing wheel. In most cases. however.

the treadstrap will be omitted. hen used,

the tread strap-l3 will project through the slots 11 11 in the disk 10 of Figsl andQ, orthrough slots 129-12in the side wall of the holder 7 of Figs. 8

and t, and as thetreadstrap 13 extendslengthwise parallel with the railit will rest on top of the rail head so that the wheels of the rolling'stock will ride over the tread strap and prevent the torpedo sliding; on the rail.

The advantages of my inventionwill apparent to those skilledinthe art, By forming'torpedoes of fibrousmateria-l and by assembling and securingtheassembled be i parts of the torpedoes in the manner shown.

and described, a cheap, strong and durable torpedo is provided.

The torpedoes are easily and quickly made'and the liability of premature explosionsin forming the-torpedo is reduced to a minimum.

Modifications in the construction and ar-' rangement of the parts may bemade without departing from my invention as defined in the appended claims. The cross section of the container may be varied. The fibrous caps formingpart of my-improved package; maybe cup-shapedasshown in Figs. 3 and; 4 or may be fiat disks asv in Fig. 7, andv other changes may be made within the scope of the'claims.

I claim:-

1 A. railway torpedo. comprising an 61:; plosive charge, coacting; cup-shaped members: formedoffibrous material and ar-' rangedto inclose said explosive charge, a f

ductile metal strap on oneend of the packs age formed bysaid members, said strap hav ing-projecting ends forminga rail engag ing fastener for the torpedo, a disk of fibrous material on top of said strap and Y a holder formed of fibrous material aIIdQSIIIF rounding said cup-shaped. members; said:

flanged inwardly to securethe parts in aswhi'ch the projecting ends of said metal strap extend, and said holder'having an end sembled relation.

' 3. A railway torpedo comprisingan explosive charge, coacting cup-shaped members formed of fibrous material and arranged to 'inclose .said explosive charge, a ductile metal strap on one end of the package iormed by said cup-shaped members, said strap having projecting ends forming 'a' rail engaging fastener for the torpedo, a disk of fibrous material on'top of said strap and a holder formed of fibrous material-and surrounding said cup-shaped members, said holder having its ends flanged inwardlyinto fastening engagement with the cupshaped members to secure the parts in assembled relation. I

4:. A railway torpedo comprising an explosive charge, a fibrous cup-shaped member forming a container for said charge, a fibrous memberfformmg a casing surrounding said cup-shaped container, and a ,ductile metal strap'on top of said container 7 having projecting ends forming a rail-engaging fastener for the torpedo, said casing having a concentricv inwardly extending flanged end, with the edge of the concentric end engaging with said container to secure the parts in assembled relation.

5. A railway torpedo comprising an 'exmy. hand.

plosive charge, a fibrous cup-shaped ,mem- A ber forming a container for said charge, a fibrous holder forming a casing surrounding said cup-shaped member, a ductile metal strap on top of said containerfhaving projecting ends-forming a rail engaging fastener for thetorpedo, said holder having apertures through whichthe' ends of said metal strap. project, and a fibrous disk on top of said strap to hold the strap inplace, said holder having an inwardly flan ed end engaging with said disk to maintain the parts in assembled relation.

6. A railway torpedo comprising an ex.- plosive charge, [a fibrous holder, a fibrous cap, and a ductile metal straplh'aving provjecting ends forming a rail engaging fas tener'for the torpedo, the end ofsaid holder being crimped and extending concentrically inward with the edge of the concentric end in tight holding engagement with thecap to secure the parts in assembledrelation.

7. A railway torpedo comprising an explosive charge, 1 a' fibrous holder, a fibrous cap, and a ductile metal strap having projecting ends forming a rail engaging fastener for the torpedo, and a flat fibrous disk on top of the metal strap, the end of said fibrous holder being crimped and extending (inwardly into tight holding engagement with said fiat'disk to secure'the partsin assembled relation. I v

8. A paper torpedo comprising an outer cup-shaped paper case, an inner cup-shaped paper case telescoping the outer case and placed in an inverted osition therein, the

,fiange of the outer case being considerably deeper than the flange of the inner case, and a strap-carrying member placed within the outer case and against the bottom of the inner case, the edge of the flange'of the outer case being doubled inward'against-the strapcarrying member for the purpose described. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set EDWARD SOYHIOOLEY. 

